238 AMEKICAN GRAPE GROWING 



ought to be, you can easily dispose of it as soon as clear. 

 Or you can dispose of your grapes, if you can not or will 

 not make them into wine, to some neighbor, or market 

 them yourself. Nearly all of our small country towns 

 afford a ready market for a small quantity, indeed often 

 a better one than do the large cities. 



Another way to make grape growing and wine making 

 easy, is to form grape and fruit colonies. There are lo- 

 cations enough in all the States of the Union, where suit- 

 able lands for this purpose can be had cheap. The ad- 

 vantages of such colonies can be easily seen. If each one 

 has a small piece of suitable land (and he does not need a 

 large tract for this business), they can assist each other in 

 plowing and sub- soiling, and will thus be able to do with 

 fewer animals, by preparing the soil first for one, then for 

 the other, the ravages of birds and insects will hardly be 

 felt, the neighbors can join together in building a cellar, 

 where all can store their wine, and of which one can take 

 the management. They can market their product easier, 

 obtain better prices, and lower rates of transportation to 

 large cities, than single indi^^duals, and also make a bet- 

 ter and more uniform product. 



There are thousands of acres of land well adapted for 

 the purpose, in Missouri and other States, which could be 

 had at very low prices, where the virgin soil waits only the 

 bidding of intelligent and combined labor, to bring forth 

 the richest fruits. There is room for thousands — may it 

 soon be filled with willing hearts and hands to undertake 

 the task. 



If our hopes are not so sanguine, the immediate gains 

 not as great, as they were fifteen years ago — yet we have a 

 surer basis to work upon than at that time, and our so- 

 bered expectations are more apt to be realized, and even 

 excelled, than then. If we aim at the best products only, 

 rather than at quantity, we are not so likely to overstock 

 the market, and the increased prices we obtain will more 



